Welcome! This is a way for me to share about my experiences as they relate to myself, family, health, compassionate cooking, baking and yoga. Enjoy!

Friday, September 1, 2017

Jack What?



When our family was transitioning to a plant-based lifestyle, almost a decade ago, the options were just beginning to expand.  As more and more people are recognizing the importance of food, and how 80% of our health is directly linked to how and what we are eating, the exploration of plant-based meals has exploded.  People are getting more creative in finding ways to make, not just delicious, but healthy, meals that remind us of foods we had growing up.

For me, with all of the auto-immune disorders impacting us it's important to feed my family and myself things that will heal us from the inside out.  This isn't to say we don't have treats or some grab-n-go items.  What it means is that it is done in moderation, and with healthier ingredients.  We've learned along the way that just because someone looks fit on the outside, that is no guarantee as to what is happening inside.

I completely understand how overwhelming incorporating more plant-based meals can seem, especially when we are bombarded with myths, commercials, and well intentioned - but often greatly uneducated when it comes to nutrition - family, friends, or family doctors.  So what is someone to do who is considering transitioning from an omnivore lifestyle to a more herbivore lifestyle?

Well, let's start with just a few...
  • You do not have to do it all at once, take it one step at a time.  
  • You do not have to "give things up".  Instead, think of it as swapping things out.  Like yogurt?  Great, keep eating yogurt, only swap out the cow or goat based for coconut, almond, cashew or soy based brands.  Like ice cream?  Me too!  Swap out your favorite Breyer's cow based flavor for the almond milk based Breyer's Oreo or vanilla peanut butter flavors.  *There are lots of substitutions for just about everything, so if you don't like the first one you try, try another brand.  
  • You do not have to do it alone.  Find a Certified Health Coach that specialized in plant-based health (like me!) to support, encourage, hold you accountable, and give you recommendations.  
  • You do not have to eat faux meats that are so processed it's just as unhealthy as eating a TV dinner.  Try using more brands that use whole ingredients such as Dr. Praeger's or Carla Lee's, or create your own "meats" using a mixture of lentils, nuts, seeds, veggies, beans, etc.  And this leads me to my latest experiment... jackfruit.  
Jack what?  Jackfruit is a tropical fruit that when young has the ability to shred, much like pork.  It doesn't really have much flavor on it's own, but then again, meats don't either ;).  Just as is done with most meals, spices or sauces come in to assist in adding wonderful flavors to the textures we're creating.

I've used pre-made bbq jackfruit in the past, but it was too spicy for me (because I'm a wimp when it comes to spice).   I was super excited to see Trader Joe's had green jackfruit in brine.  Yay!  Now I could experiment without the hassle of buying the ginormous jackfruit from the grocery store.  Maybe one day I'll experiment with a whole jackfruit, but that day isn't today, so I'll stick to the young green jackfruit in a can.  

I wasn't really sure what to do, and I thought I would just wing it and see what the family thinks.  I also wanted to amp up the filling factor so I decided I would add beans to the experiment as well.  The result = happy faces, tastebuds and bellies.  


30 Minutes or less BBQ Jackfruit

Ingredients:
3 c. (approximately) veggie broth (I like Imagine or Rapunzel brand)
1 small onion, chopped
1 organic yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 - 14 oz. cans green jackfruit in brine (not in syrup) (BPA free can - my favorite is Native Forest)
16 oz. can organic tri-colored beans  (BPA free can - I used Kroger's Simple Truth Brand)
12 oz. jar Annie's Naturals Organic Original BBQ sauce
Salt & Pepper to taste (optional)

Directions:
1.  Preheat large skillet over medium high heat.
2.  Drain bean, rinse, place in bowl and coarsely mash - set aside.
3.  Drain jackfruit, rinse, cut into smaller pieces length wise - set aside.
4.  Add 1/2 c. broth to skillet then add onion, pepper and garlic, saute about 5 minutes, or until tender - add another 1/2 c. broth if needed.
5.  Add jackfruit and remaining broth, cover, cook for about 8-10 minutes, or until jackfruit is becoming very tender.
6.  Add beans, using a potato masher, mash mixture so jackfruit starts to shred.
7.  Once all jackfruit is shredded, add BBQ sauce, turn burner to medium or medium low, cover and simmer 5-10 minutes - making sure the sauce doesn't start to burn.

*Serve on a bun, as a dip, in a wrap, or mixed with noodles - the possibilities are endless, and delicious!

No comments:

Post a Comment